Optional question input code tables

The remaining question input code tables are used to describe the client or their question or the item they are requesting, in Request forms. When code tables are used in Request forms they provide the important role of controlling drop down lists used in the Request forms. Whenever you need a drop down list in a Request form, you will choose one of the code tables in the list below, or in the User defined code tables groups. You control the names of those code tables and the values presented in the drop down lists they create by using the functions provide by this code tables section of RefTracker.

You may use only some of the code tables provided in this list below, in your Request forms. You may not even know whether you want to use these standard Code tables or the User defined code tables in your Request forms until you start designing your Request forms. However the drop down list functionality provided by these code tables can make Request forms easier to use, and certainly make statistical analysis easy (as it happens automatically in RefTracker when you use a code table), so they are an important feature of Request forms.

The standard code tables provided in this section are designed to cover the common data capture and analysis requirements for RefTracker users. Each has a defined meaning as defined below, but in many cases the code table can be adapted for other similar uses. There is no reason why you cannot adapt these tables to other uses, as you can adjust the entries to meet your specific needs and you can even change the name of the table and the instructions associated with it when it is used in a Request form. But don’t forget that RefTracker provides a large number of library definable code tables that can be used in addition to these standard ones.

It is important to remember that code tables should always be used in a consistent fashion so that the statistics obtained from that code table always relate to the same thing.

CODE TABLE STANDARD USE

Age/Group: This code table is usually used to obtain an analysis of the type of person that the response should be pitched at e.g their educational level.  If provides a way of finding answers provided at different levels.

Bibliographic level: These are the standard MARC Bibliographic levels. They can be associated with bibliographic information in RefTracker so that it can be converted to MARC format. You can use the MARC export option to export question and bibliographic information to MARC XML. You cannot change the entries in this table. This table has a specific meaning in RefTracker and cannot be used for any other purpose.

Bibliographic type: These are the standard MARC Bibliographic types. They can be associated with bibliographic information in RefTracker so that it can be converted to MARC format. You can use the MARC export option to export question and bibliographic information to MARC XML. You cannot change the entries in this table. This table has a specific meaning in RefTracker and cannot be used for any other purpose.

Country: This code table should be used to allow clients to select the Country in which they are located. It can be used for street address labels, as well as statistics about the Country of origin of the clients using your service. The values in this table are international standards and so the table cannot be modified, but you can set a default value, and entries can be disabled to create a shorter list of countries where that is applicable to your organisation. If you need to include other entries in your Country code table, like ‘Asia’ and ‘Africa’, you will need to create a user defined code table to meet your requirements. 

Currency: This code table should be used to obtain an indication from the client of how new or old the material they required should be. 

Department/Group: This is a client code table used to indicate the department, Practice group, or any other group that the client belongs to.  Usually used for statistics about which Departments your service is providing the most services to..

Format: This code table should be used to obtain an indication from the client of any particular format of material they might require. They can only select one entry from this list so it’s really “most desirable format”. Handy for indicating specific requirement such as “Large Print”!

Personal title: This code table should be used to obtain any client title information such as Mr, Mrs, Dr, Reverend, etc.

Rating: This code table should be used to obtain the client’s opinion of the service they have received.

Reason: This code table should be used to obtain an analysis of the reasons why clients use your library.

Response level: This code table should be used to obtain an analysis of the amount of effort that the library should put into providing the answer (according to a clients service entitlements), or the type of understanding of the audience at which the response should be pitched.

SMS Gateway: These are the SMS gateways that RefTracker can use to send SMS/Text messages to clients using their mobile phone number. This table has a specific meaning in RefTracker and cannot be used for any other purpose.

State: This code table should be used to allow clients to select the State in which they reside. It can be used for street address labels, as well as statistics about the State of origin of the clients using your service. You can add new entire to this code table and disable entries but you cannot change the state codes. To change a State code, disable the old entry and create a new entry.

VoIP: These are the VoIP services that RefTracker can link to. This table has a specific meaning in RefTracker and cannot be used for any other purpose. 
The following provides an example description about how one of these code tables can be used. The others all operate similarly.

Exercise:

Familiarise yourself with all of the code tables in the Question input group and set values for any tables that you are sure you will use in your Request forms. Other tables in this group can be set up as you design your Request forms.